The Thrill of the Chase
by coalitiongirl
Summary: Summary: AU from before School Hard. A vampire named Spike is in town, ready to bag his third Slayer…and this time, with the gem of Amarra, he’s going to do things differently. Spuffy, of course!
1. Chapter 1

"I don't see what the big deal is," Buffy said, shrugging. "It's just another vampire."

"It isn't just another vampire," Giles protested, fumbling with his glasses. "This Spike has killed two Slayers. If he _is_ in Sunnydale, then your life is in danger… well, more than usual."

"Fine, so I'll go patrol tonight, and when he attacks me, I'll stake him." Buffy considered. "Actually, I haven't done a good beheading in a while."

"Buffy, he could be dangerous!" Willow protested. "I mean, he must be, or Angel wouldn't have come to warn you as soon as he caught his scent…"

Buffy stared at her. "So would you prefer me not staking him?"

"N-no, just…maybe you can bring Angel along? Not that I don't think you'd do fine on your own," she added hastily. "Just…Angel knows this vampire. You don't even know how he looks."

"I'm sure-" Buffy stopped abruptly when the library door opened. "Lovely. Cordelia."

Cordelia was accompanied by someone Buffy had never seen before, a guy who smirked at all of them before asking, "What is this, Cordy, a book club?"

Cordelia shrugged. "It's Buffy and her fellow freaks. We don't know if it's contagious yet, so stay as far away from them as you can."

"What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded.

Cordelia sneered. "Contrary to your twisted beliefs, this is actually the school's library, not your bedroom. I'm showing Will around, and he wanted to come in here."

"Wait." Buffy narrowed her eyes. "_You're _a student?" She stared at him. He was tall, blond, and clearly not a teenager. In fact, he was…well, there was a certain agelessness about him. She wouldn't have been surprised if he were twenty-five _or_ forty-five. What was it? Maybe the strange, almost white color of his dyed hair? Those high, hollow cheekbones? Those deep blue eyes that seemed to shine with life? The muscular body that she could see straining at the simple black tee he wore under a black leather duster… _Stop it, Buff. You're staring._

Will saw it, too. He smirked. "Sorry, pet, not all of us spend enough time in the library to bother with graduating high school the first time around. 'Course, maybe it was meant to be. I wouldn't have met you if I had stuck around in that hellhole." He moved a little closer to her, and she felt her face redden as he let a finger brush against her cheek, the cool feel of his skin and the ring on it chilling her.

Xander ruined the mood. "Hey, back off of her."

Buffy was about to tell him to shut up, but she suddenly remembered Angel and felt guilty. "Umm…" She backed away, almost afraid to break his gaze.

"Will, don't flirt with her. She's not worth your time." Cordelia tugged at his arm, annoyed. "And we have more places to go."

"Right, pet," Will said absently. He turned to go. "See you around, love." He raised a hand with goodbye, not turning back to see the Scoobies' gaping mouths before he left the library.

"Wow," Willow said softly, staring at Buffy.

She reddened again, and sought to change the subject. "So…how about this Spike dude?"

--

"Nope." Angel smiled at her. "Try again."

Buffy slumped down against the gravestone. "I hate French."

"Oh, it isn't that bad. I remember one time in Neice-"

Buffy cut him off. "Did you hear that?" She somersaulted backwards, over the gravestone, bent and struck hard with a stake. "Oh."

Angel joined her in staring down at the leaf she had staked. "You're a little on edge today, aren't you?"

Buffy sighed. "It's probably just this Spike guy. I don't know, I guess it worries me a little."

Angel put a hand on her shoulder. "We can take him, together. I've beaten him before, and trust me- you'll be a match for him."

She smiled, and rested her head against his arm. "Thanks."

They walked together in silence, each enjoying the other's company.

"So…" Buffy said finally, after a nearly silent hour had passed. "Vamps aren't biting tonight, I guess. Not even Spike."

"Nah," Angel agreed. "Think we should call it a night?"

He walked her home, and they stopped by the door.

"Angel…" Buffy looked up at him expectantly. They were standing close together, intimately so, and…

"G'nite," Angel said quickly, and moved away.

Buffy stared after him, disappointed and frustrated.

--

Underground, a frail, striking brunette moved in slow circles around the man Buffy knew as Will. "She is within you…within you! Must…be…killed, or the party can't go on. The tea is getting cold!"

Will stroked her hair gently. "No worries, love. This one is going to be easy. Especially with this." He raised his hand, letting the stone on his ring shine in the firelight. "Invulnerability, right at my fingertips. The Gem of Amarra will make this my most interesting…slaying…yet."

He bent to kiss her. "Come, Dru, let's get you something to eat."

--

Will was in her Lit class, in the seat behind Willow, Buffy noticed, giving a guilty little start and turning away when he noticed her eyes on him. There was just something about him… _Angel. Angel. Angelangelangelangel…_

Willow interrupted her mental litany. "Will's staring at you," she whispered.

"I'm so sick of it!" Buffy hissed.

"What? Will?" Willow looked concerned. "Did you see him again since yesterday?"

"Angel!" Buffy sighed. "I mean, does he like me? Does he not? Why won't he just…" Her voice trailed off as she sensed someone listening in to their conversation. _Will. Great._

Willow frowned apologetically. "He definitely cares about you, I think we both know that. But Angel's…well, he's weird. I don't get him."

"That makes two of us," Buffy grumbled.

A smooth, British voice interrupted them. "Bloke's a bloody ponce, if you ask me."

"I didn't," Buffy retorted, glaring back at him. _God, he's really hot…no! Bad Buffy! You have a...Angel. Whatever that means. _

Will went on. "Seems to me that this Angel ponce is an idiot. He's going to lose you if he keeps up this hard-to-get act. If it were me, pet…"

"It's not you," Buffy said, starting to get annoyed.

"No," Will agreed. "Because I would never let someone like you get away."

Buffy stared at him, open-mouthed. _He's so… No. Angel. Angel! _"You're really… you don't even know me," she said weakly.

His lips curled up in that smirk that was quickly becoming familiar, then relaxed into something nearing a normal smile. "I'd like to get to know you," he said softly.

"I don't…I mean, Angel…" She was getting flustered. "I can't."

"I'm not trying to steal you from the ponce, love," Will held out a hand. "I just want to be your friend."

"Friend. Right." Buffy tried to grin weakly. "That I can do."

--

Spike laughed inwardly, seeing the girl's hopeful eyes. _This is too easy. Give me another day, and the Slayer's mine. _And truthfully, though she would be quite a delicious morsel, he had a feeling that this time, the chase would be even more invigorating than the reward.

--

--

--

Whaddaya think? Should I continue?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Due to the immediate interest in this fic, as well as the upcoming spring break, I've decided to update more often than I usually do! Please keep reading and reviewing!**

**I realized that there was no disclaimer in the last chapter, so here goes: I don't own Buffy. Trust me, if I did, there'd be a whole lot less "cookie dough" and a whole lot more Spuffy! Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy!**

**--**

"I don't get it," Buffy sighed, probably for the fifth time that night. "You're sure he's still here?"

Angel nodded. "Trust me, I would be able to sense Spike from a mile away. He's here, practically below us. I don't know what he's planning, but he hasn't gone anywhere yet."

"Let's just go find him and kill him!" Buffy suggested. "We've been waiting for him to make the first move for three nights now, and he hasn't so much as shown his face. It's getting boring." She stretched her arms, stake outthrust, just in time to pierce the heart of a vampire that was attempting, rather poorly, to sneak up on them. "So whatever scheme he's cooking up, let's head him off before he can finish it."

"No." Angel turned to face her. "Spike alone is more dangerous than most vampires you'll ever face. If you're going to fight him, don't go into his lair to do it. I can smell at least twenty others in there, and if we challenge him with them there, too…" He shook his head. "Suicide."

"What is?" Xander asked, coming up behind them. Willow was at his side, grinning sheepishly.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked wearily. "If Spike came…"

"We'll skedaddle," Willow assured her. "We just thought you might be getting hungry. " She held out a baggie full of cookies.

"We've only got for Buffy, sorry," Xander grinned lopsidedly. "Willow didn't have much blood in her refrigerator."

"We save it for special occasions," Willow offered, smiling shyly.

"Plus, I don't like you," Xander added smugly. "Thought I should mention that."

"I'll keep that in mind," Angel said, deadpan.

"Although better you than Will," Xander put in, not noticing Buffy's deadly look at the mention of Will's name.

"Who's Will?" Angel frowned.

"No one," Buffy said hastily. "Bye guys, thanks for visiting, see you tomorrow!"

"We're not leav-" Xander started, but Willow cut him off.

"Let's _go_, Xan."

As soon as they were gone, Angel turned back to Buffy. "Who's Will?"

Buffy sighed. "Just a guy from school. A friend. Xander has it in his head that Will wants more. But it's not like that."

"I hope not," Angel said, a half-smile on his face. "I wouldn't want to lose you to someone else before I even have you."

"So then take me," Buffy murmured, moving closer until she was looking right up at him, their lips inches apart.

"I can't," Angel breathed. "I'm a-"

"I don't give a crap," Buffy whispered, and smiled into the kiss that followed.

Everything was right again.

--

"Smoochies?" Willow repeated, grinning like an idiot.

"_Much _smoochies," Buffy confirmed, an identical grin on her face.

"Guess he really does like you that way!"

"Yup!"

It was a rainy day, so instead of going outside for lunch, they were eating in the library, much to Giles' consternation.

"_Please_, don't eat near that book," he nearly begged. "That's an ancient Sumerian text, very rare, and…" His eyes widened. "Is that my demon catalog under your coke?"

"Giles, aren't you just a little happy for me?" Buffy asked, pouting.

Giles lifted the soda shakily. "Quite. I do hope you'll keep in mind that Angel is a-"

"Yeah, yeah, vampire, Slayer, can't happen, got it." Buffy rolled her eyes, still grinning. "Come on, less warning, more congratulations!"

"Then Spike didn't emerge last night, I assume?"

"Party pooper." Buffy pouted again. "But no, not a sign."

"How odd." Giles picked up another book. "I've read some more about him. He doesn't seem to be much for subterfuge."

"Who cares?" Buffy shrugged. "Anyway, lately I've been staking much fewer vamps. It's getting me antsy." She took a sip of Coke and nearly spat it out. "Ugh!"

"Not anymore," Willow teased. "Now you've got lots of smoochies to keep you busy on patrol."

"How true." Buffy jumped off Giles' desk. "I'm going to get something else to drink from the caf. My soda tastes funny."

"Yes, well, magical texts often have negative effects on the surrounding environment," Giles said pointedly, and Buffy beat a hasty retreat before he could continue.

"And she's back in the library," a dry, accented voice remarked from behind her. "The amount of time you spend there, pet, you should be acing all your tests."

"Will!" Buffy turned to smile at him. "Haven't seen you all morning."

Will shrugged. "My girlfriend wasn't feeling well, so I ditched."

"Girlfriend?" Buffy felt a pang of disappointment. Since they had agreed to be friends two days prior, Will hadn't stopped flirting with her for a second. She had figured that he was just that way around everyone, but it still hurt her just a little to know that he did have someone.

He caught her tone and smirked. "Jealous, love?"

"No!" Buffy glared at him. "I have a boyfriend, too, you know. And we're just friends. Why do I care?" _God, why does he have to be so hot???_

"Oh, a boyfriend, now?" Will grinned. "So the ponce finally made a move?"

"Yes and stop calling him that," Buffy said wearily. "I'm sure it's not a compliment."

"Sorry, love. _Angel_." He laughed. "As though _that's _any better."

"Jealous?" she smirked at him. Two could play at that game.

"Clearly," he admitted, not even the least bit perturbed by it. "You fascinate me. And I'm not going to give up on you just because someone else got there first." She stared at him, wide-eyed, and he took that as an opportunity to run his fingers through her hair, stroking it gently.

"Will," she murmured, unable to meet his gaze. "I can't…"

"You say that," he agreed, wrapping his other hand around hers. "But I'm not going to accept it so easily." He raised their entwined hands for a moment, until she could feel the cool gem on his ring pressing against her suddenly pounding heart. "And I don't think that you are, either. There's something between us, love, and no stupid git is going to ruin it before we have a chance to find out what it is." His breathing was heavy and ragged, and she knew that hers was too. He was right, she couldn't deny it, and yet…

"Angel…" she tried weakly.

He moved in closer. "I'm going to make you forget all about bloody Angel."

And then he was kissing her, bridging that void between them in an instant. She couldn't deny him, couldn't stop herself from kissing him back, letting him into her mouth, furiously battling for dominance within. He tasted so good, so new and exciting and _different_ from anyone she'd ever kissed before. And she never wanted it to end.

He didn't seem to need to breathe any more than she wanted to, but eventually she had to break away to gulp in air. "Will…"

He looked just as stunned as she did. "Oh, god. God, no."

She stared at him in confusion. "Will?"

Then he kissed her again, this time soft, slow, and sweet. "Think about it," he murmured, his breath cool on her neck. "I'll be here."

And he walked away, leaving her dizzy and more than a little unsteady on her feet.

--

"Damn!" Spike stormed down to the basement of the school, furious with himself. "Damn, damn, DAMN! It isn't supposed to be like this, it isn't supposed to work like this!" He grabbed the ring on his finger and yanked it off. "Bloody ring, making me all _human_. I can't do this! Bloody ring, bloody school, bloody Slayer…" He narrowed his eyes. "Bloody feelings!" He hurled the ring hard against the basement wall.

Realizing what he had done, he ran to find it again.

The Gem of Amarra was still intact, he noted with relief. But this was bad, far worse than he could have imagined. The plan was to seduce the Slayer, have her leaning in to kiss him and biting her instead. And now…

He hadn't been lying before. There _was_ bloody chemistry between them, more so than he had ever felt before. When she had said that Angel had made a move, it had boiled his blood enough to bring him to kiss her. And when he had kissed her…he _knew_.

"Damn," he hissed again.

He was pretty sure that he was falling for the Slayer.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: For some of you who weren't clear, the Gem of Amarra (featured in BtVS 4x03 and AtS 1x03) is a stone that, when a vampire wears it, makes its user invulnerable. So Spike with the Gem can go out into sunlight, get staked, and touch a cross with no harm to his person…**

**Thanks to all those of you who favorited this fic, and especially to my reviewers from last chapter- Flames to Dust, Cherryll, Becca1806, bahjcb, and Doni! **

**--**

"I am NOT in the mood for this," Buffy snapped, staking one of the vampires in a swift swing. "Let's just get it over with."

She was not having a good day- or, one might argue, a good end of the day. After her…encounter with Will earlier, she hadn't known what to think. But she had at least expected him to stick around for the rest of the day, to see him at least in class! But he had disappeared after the kiss and hadn't returned to school the rest of the day. _How am I supposed to sort this whole thing out if I don't even know if he was _serious? He'd said he had a girlfriend, but he didn't seem to care about her, and…

"Hey!" One vampire had jumped her, teeth bared and hand grasping at her stake arm.

She fumbled with her other hand, staking him eventually with some difficulty. _Damn. Why can't I focus? This is all Will's fault…_

"Buffy?" Angel emerged from the shadows. "How's it going?"

She started. "Angel!" _Great. I'm thinking about Will just when things start going well with Angel._

"Are you okay?" He moved to her. "I heard fighting, and smelled…" He stopped and stared. "Spike."

"Where?" She darted a glance around.

His eyes narrowed. "I don't understand. You weren't attacked by a particularly powerful vampire?" She shook her head. "But his scent…it's all over you."

She considered. "Well, one of the vamps from before was a little better than your garden variety undead, and he did get on top of me, but he wasn't really very memorable. Maybe that was him?"

Angel frowned. "Blonde? Bad attitude? British?"

"Didn't notice, clearly, and no idea." Buffy shrugged. "He's staked now, anyway."

"Spike, staked so easily?" Angel shook his head. "Impossible."

Buffy sighed. "Look, I know you had some history with this guy a while back, but isn't it possible that he just isn't as strong as you remember? The vampire I fought was tricky, maybe he was Spike. I don't know."

"He wasn't." Angel sounded positive. "If it were Spike, you'd know it." His brow wrinkled. "This is very strange. But I guess we'll see for certain in a day or two." The troubled look remained, even as he smiled gently down at her. "We can take a break tonight, though. I doubt he'll attack again so soon, even if he is still around. If you want, we could go to the Bronze."

"The Bronze?" Buffy asked, grinning. "Like a date?"

"Like a date," Angel confirmed, bending to kiss her.

She kissed him back and tried not to think about Will.

--

Spike watched from a nearby alley, his face dark. It was all he could do not to jump out and attack Angel for touching _her_. Buffy- no, the Slayer. The Slayer! But _his_ Slayer. _Damn. I'm love's bitch all over again. No. This isn't love. It's just…lust, or something. A Slayer. It's because she's a Slayer, no more._

"Right. Time to get Dru something fresh," he muttered, heading for the Bronze. It would be stupid, he knew, risking Angel seeing him, but he wasn't about to leave Dru without a treat…or Buffy alone with his rival.

--

Slow-dancing with Angel was something she'd never get sick of, Buffy mused, enjoying being wrapped in Angel's arms. This almost made her forget Will's kiss, the intensity in his eyes after they had first locked lips, his cool skin against hers… _Shut up, Buffy._

"Angel," she murmured, pulling away. "I need a break."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Fine. I just…" She sighed. "Can you get me a drink?"

"Sure." He headed for the bar.

"So _that's_ the ponce."

Buffy spun around. "Will…" He was behind her, customary smirk on his face and wearing that black leather duster that was his signature.

"Didn't know you went for the brooding type. He's all tall, dark, and forehead." Will shook his head. "How about a dance?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Buffy asked shakily.

Will shrugged. "She's not here."

Buffy stared at him. "Why would I want to date someone who cheats on his girlfriend so easily?" she challenged him.

He bent down until their lips were millimeters apart, "Who says I want to date you, love?" he whispered, his lips grazing hers. Then he moved away swiftly and was out the door before she could say another word.

"Buffy?" Angel put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Wh-why wouldn't I be?" she stuttered. _I'm _not _a cheater, no matter how Will makes me feel! I can't be!_

"I thought I caught the scent of…" Angel shook his head. "Never mind."

"Let's just dance," Buffy smiled. But she knew now that Will wasn't going to be forgotten anytime soon.

--

Spike left the Bronze, not looking back. How did she _do_ that to him? One second, he was ready to shag her to oblivion, the next he was terrified of his feelings and running.

Enough. He had to pick up a body, and then he was heading home.

A girl was walking slowly down the street, approaching the Bronze alone. Perfect.

He switched into game face and lunged at her.

She saw him and ran, but he was considerably faster.

"Got you, pet," he murmured, shoving her against the wall.

Her eyes were wide as Willow stuttered, "Will?"

"Bloody hell!"

--

"You're a-" Willow shook her head. "But how…?" Spike had brought her to a crypt in Restfield. He wasn't sure why yet.

"I should really kill you," he muttered, staring at her. "You're a liability, now that you recognize me."

"I'd really prefer if you didn't," Willow squeaked. "Besides?"

"What?" He didn't like the look that suddenly crossed her face.

"Buffy would _never_ forgive you," Willow informed him.

"Why do I care how the Slayer feels?" Spike asked brusquely. "I'm going to kill her soon enough."

"You're Spike, aren't you?" Willow asked. "But I bet Buffy's become a little more than your third Slayer. You care about her, don't you?"

"Hell no," Spike scoffed.

"She cares about you, too."

"She does?" Spike leaned forward. "How do you know?"

Willow shrugged. "I'm her best friend. I can tell these things. She's confused now, because there's you, and Angel, and…and how do you go out in the sunlight?"

"Like I'd tell the Slayer's best friend?" Spike scoffed. "Bloody ponce, what does she see in Peaches, anyway?"

"Angel?" Willow considered, then finished apologetically, "Well, he's not trying to kill her, for one. That always helps."

"Damn!" Spike grabbed a bottle from the table and hurled it at the wall. "This isn't supposed to go like this! I kill Slayers, I don't fall-" He stopped. "Alright, Red, say I let you go. What happens then?"

Willow's eyes widened. "I wouldn't tell-"

"Yes, you would," Spike corrected her. "I didn't kill two Slayers by being bloody stupid. And you're not going to change my mind about the third."

In one swift motion, he pulled her hair to the side and sank his teeth into her neck.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Alright, I felt bad about leaving it at such a cliffhanger, so here's the next chapter, straightaway! Enjoy!**

**--**

"Well, _that_ was weird," Willow said softly, her hand resting gently on her neck.

He sighed. "You okay?"

"A little weak," she admitted. "I lost a lot of blood." She turned to stare at him. "You stopped. Why'd you stop?"

"I don't know!" he snapped. "I was going to just drain you, and to hell with the consequences, but…I kept seeing her _bloody_ face! Crying over you, hating me…" He clenched his fists. "Dammit!"

Willow tentatively put a hand on his arm. "You really do care about her."

"I barely know her!" Spike raged. "It's been, what, three days? How could I possibly care so much already?"

"There was an instant attraction thing going on with you two," Willow suggested. "And the whole vampire thing really doesn't turn her off."

"Angel again," Spike muttered. "Damn him."

"I think it's sweet," Willow smiled. "You come to kill her, and then you fall in love with her. What's next, you reform and go earn your soul back or something?"

"Hell no! I'm bad. I've always been bad!" Spike sighed. "What am I supposed to _do_?"

"You could let me go," Willow suggested. At his expression, she added hastily. "I won't tell anyone. Not as long as you don't hurt anyone. But any killing, any funny business, mister, and Buffy finds out right away."

Spike stretched languorously, remembering his place. "You're not in any position to bargain, Red."

"Not now," Willow said nervously, trying to sound confident and failing miserably. "But you want Buffy to accept you, and she won't if you're going to kill me."

"This is ridiculous." Spike threw his head back and laughed. "A Slayer with friends, with allies…_Buffy_. She's just _unbelievable_."

"Yeah."

Spike sighed. "Well, I'm not going to stop feeding just because you asked nicely."

"I figured," Willow sighed. "What if I brought you blood? I could get blood for you."

"Pigs' blood? I'm not going to sink that low, not for a _Slayer_." He spat out the word like it was a curse. "And Dru needs to feed, too. She's not touching that garbage."

Willow shook her head. "No deal."

"Why is there even a deal?" Spike ranted. He calmed himself. "Okay. Fine. I'll take your blood, but Dru's getting bodies. And that's my final offer."

"Deal," Willow grinned. "And I'll throw in some help in you winning her over, too, as a bonus."

"You can go." Spike waved a hand at the exit.

Willow headed out. "And Spike? Angel counts as a person, too."

"_He'd_ kill _me_!" Spike protested.

Willow grinned to herself. "So would Buffy."

--

Something was up, Buffy knew. Something between Will and Willow.

Could they be… nah, Willow hadn't shown any interest in Will before. But today, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. And he seemed unsurprised by her sudden fascination with him. Plus, he wasn't starting any conversations with Buffy today. Which bothered her more than she'd have liked to admit.

"So?" Buffy demanded at Willow's locker after Lit.

"So what?"

"You and Will. What's up with that? You seem really… really into him suddenly."

Willow laughed. "What? No, I don't like Will." She stopped, and a strange look crossed her face. "That's your turf."

"My- Willow, I'm with Angel." Buffy frowned.

"Are you?" Willow asked tentatively. "Because you and Will seem to be pretty close. And he is pretty gorgeous."

"Okay, so maybe he's totally hot, and we do have this _thing_ going on, but…" Buffy sighed. "He gives off even more mixed signals than Angel! I mean, first he tells me he has a girlfriend, then we kiss, then he acts like the girlfriend doesn't even matter, which worries me most about even thinking about being with him, and then he isn't even _talking_ to me today…and all his interest seems to be on you! I don't get it."

Willow shrugged. "W-well, maybe he's just nervous. I think he really likes you, though…"

"What's with the two of you, anyway?" Buffy demanded.

"N-Nothing. We just met outside the Bronze yesterday, and got to talking. That's all."

Buffy looked suspiciously at her friend. "Wills, are you hiding something from me?"

"N-No! Not at all! I don't know anything, and I've really got to get to class, so…bye!" She turned and fled.

Buffy stared. "Well, that was weird."

--

"Your friend Dru. Is she your girlfriend?" Willow asked from where she sat with Spike.

He nodded. "So?"

"So Buffy's not going to date you if you've got a girlfriend!" Willow explained, shaking her head. "Especially if you're cheating on her every time you make a move on Buffy."

"I can't break up with Dru!" Spike said, annoyed. "Our love is the stuff of legends! She's my sire! And she

needs me. She's sick."

"So what were you thinking?" Willow asked incredulously. "You'd bring Buffy back to your lair and introduce her to Dru? It's her or Buffy."

Spike ground his teeth. "But…"

"But nothing," Willow said firmly. "You'd better show Buffy you're serious or she'll decide you're not worth the trouble."

"Right, then." Spike rose. "See you around, Red."

He headed for the door to the school.

Buffy was sitting just outside with Xander, flipping through a French textbook. "I don't get it," she was saying. "It's like she's covering for him."

_Hmm…talking about me. Well, that's a start._ He smirked and walked around the stairs to face her. "Hi, Buffy."

"Will!" She blushed.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Spike said pointedly to Xander.

Xander glared at him. "No, I think I'm good here."

"Xander, go away," Buffy said swiftly.

Xander put up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I'm leaving. But you touch her, and…"

"And nothing," Buffy rolled her eyes. "Xander…"

"You kids be careful," Xander said warningly, and Buffy gave him a shove away.

"Sorry about him," she told Spike. "He's a little overprotective."

Spike ignored her words, taking her head into his hands and turning it to face him. "I need to say something."

Buffy gazed into his eyes. "I'm listening," she said faintly.

"Good." He smiled. "I like you. A lot. Maybe even… And I know you know I have a girlfriend, love, but I don't want that to get in the way."

"I'm just supposed to forget that?" Buffy asked incredulously. "We're both seeing people, and you want to just keep going on like…" She stopped talking abruptly as he bent to kiss her. "No. Will…" she started as they parted.

"My girlfriend…she's sick. And kind of crazy, I'll admit. She needs me to take care of her. But I'm not going to be with her anymore. I don't want to lose you because of her."

He kissed her again, and she moved closer, into his embrace.

_This is perfect, and feels so right. Damn. I really am in love with her._


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to recent reviewers: bahjcb, his querida, Flames to Dust, Cherryll, Becca1806, Doni, Angellia, funkydevil206, and shelaweena. Feedback is always appreciated!**

It had been two days since Buffy and Will had begun…whatever they had, and Buffy still didn't know what to do. It was wrong, she knew, but she cared for both of them…how could she possibly choose? Or tell Angel? And Willow was still hiding things, not to mention that the whole situation with Spike was getting more and more confusing by the day.

"I don't understand," Angel said, shaking his head. "His scent…every day it's getting stronger. All over you. I don't know what he's up to, but it can't be good." He paused, and turned to Willow. "And now…it's also you. His scent is almost as strong on you."

"W-weird," Willow said shakily. Buffy frowned. Willow was definitely hiding something.

A high-pitched scream suddenly sounded from just outside the Bronze, and Buffy jumped up. "Be right back."

"Do you want-" Angel began.

"Don't bother," she called back over her shoulder.

As soon as she was gone, Angel turned back to Willow. "You know something."

She nervously twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Willow…" He stopped. "What was that?"

"What?"

"Move your hand."

"W-Why?"

"Just do it."

"I don't-" But Angel had already moved her hair aside and was looking in horror at the bite marks on her neck.

"He _bit_ you, and you're hiding it?"

"Angel, you don't understand!" Willow protested. "He's not like that. He's agreed-"

"Angel. Willow." Buffy reappeared, looking terse. "We have a situation."

"What is it?" Willow asked nervously.

"Her." Buffy shoved a dark-haired woman in front of them. Angel's eyes widened. "She says she knows Spike."

"The girl, the girl, she's all over him…Miss Edith is sad, so sad, wants away, but Angelus! Angelus is here, Angelus can help…"

"Drusilla," Angel said, sounding pained. "She's Spike's lover. Insane."

"Did he send her away?" Willow asked quickly. They all stared at her. "Just curious," she said lamely.

"My Spike, all gone, away to the Slayer." Drusilla fell forward onto Angel. "Daddy, all gone, too."

Angel held her up. "Drusilla, why are you here? Where's Spike?"

"He went away, far away, to the girl, and then that one-" She motioned limply at Willow, and both Buffy and Angel turned sharply to stare at the redhead. She looked away, reddening. "That one comes and brings the tea, yes, for my Spike, but he still gave me cookies."

"Willow?"

"But oh, he comes back at night, and every time _she's_ all over him, and no, no more, no more Slayer!" Drusilla vamped out and lunged at Buffy, but collapsed towards the floor as soon as she moved from Angel. He caught her again.

"Drusilla." Buffy grabbed the vampire and swung her around, backing her against the wall. "What do you mean, _she's_ all over him? Do you mean me? Why?"

Drusilla stared up at her, her game face receding. "The Slayer doesn't even know. He walks in her midst and she never sees." She started to laugh, a strange, high-pitched sound. "The party is ready, but nobody's invited." Then she passed out unconscious on the floor.

"I can keep her locked up at my place," Angel said wearily. "If Spike comes for her, I'll kill him."

"You can't!" Willow squeaked.

"You're working with him," Angel accused. "Aren't you?"

"He promised not to hurt you," Willow whispered. "You can't hurt him if he won't hurt you."

"Willow, are you serious?" Buffy demanded. "You're working with Spike? How could you?"

Willow looked down. "It's…complicated."

"Complicated? He's trying to kill me!" Buffy said incredulously.

"No, he isn't."

"How do you know? This Spike-"

"He can't be trusted," Angel said coldly. "I don't know what he's said to you to convince you, but he's evil. He doesn't have a soul."

"He doesn't _need_ one," Willow retorted, turning around. "And you'll realize that soon enough." She left the Bronze quickly, not turning back for a minute.

Buffy stared after her, bewildered and hurt. What was going on?

--

"She's not even talking to me today," Buffy told Will. "I don't get it." They were sitting together in the cafeteria while Willow and Xander ate in the library with Giles. The latter two didn't quite understand what Willow was up to, but they weren't going to take sides. "I mean…_she's_ the one who started this, started…hanging out…with an enemy."

"This Spike guy."

"Yeah." Buffy sighed. "So she's avoiding me. It's just so frustrating."

Will put an arm around her, bending to kiss her gently. "It seems to me that you two have an amazing friendship. I'd hate to see you lose it." He considered. "Bugger that. It'd kill me to see you in pain."

She leaned into his embrace. He was so devoted, so honest…still so refreshing compared to Angel. _But there's this whole chunk of my life that he can't even imagine. Damn! I find the perfect guy, and he's split into two different people! _There was Angel, her nighttime companion, and Will, her daylight boyfriend. Angel had all the mystery, and he _did_ know about the whole Slayer situation, but Will was so…_Will! I met him like a week ago, and I still can't stop thinking about him. I don't know if this is love, exactly, but it's stronger than anything I feel when I'm with Angel… _She exhaled contentedly. _Great. I'm totally fixated on a guy I barely know. And I'm happy with that._

"Buffy." Will squeezed her shoulder. "What's on your mind, pet?"

"You," she said honestly, smiling a bit. "I just realized how little I really know about you. I mean, I talk about me all the time, but you…"

"There's not much to say," Will shrugged.

But something was off about him, and Buffy noticed. "Are you…nervous?" she asked with glee.

Will seemed ready to deny it, but then he settled back into his smirk. "Maybe a little. I don't want to turn you off…"

"Go ahead," she urged delightedly. "Spill."

Will grinned. "I wasn't always this bad. I used to be… well…a poet," he finished, shamefaced.

"You? A poet?" Buffy burst out laughing. "No way!"

"Not a good one, either. I wrote _awful_ poetry back in England. Mooned after the wrong ladies…finally, I got some sense knocked into me. I met someone that night who changed my life." Will seemed pensive. "A lady, who transformed me. She made me…this." He gestured at his "Billy Idol" look. "I grew up after that, figured out who I was. For the first time, I was free."

"And then?" Buffy prodded.

Will seemed lost in his own world, but he jerked up at her words. "Right. Well, I quit high school and came here."

"That's it? Where's the story?" Buffy asked, disappointed. "What happened to the woman? Why'd you come here?"

Will put a hand on hers. "Come on, pet, you can't expect me to just give you everything at once." He smirked wickedly. "I'll give you one more question now, but then everything else comes with a price."

She tried to match his smirk. "Maybe I can pay the price."

He kissed her again, hard, and she almost fell backwards off her chair.

"Cut it out," a disapproving voice cut in. "This is a school, not a harem." Principal Snyder scowled at them. "I should've guessed that you two miscreants would have found each other. Just as long as we keep _that_ out of the gene pool."

Buffy laughed, watching Snyder stalk off to go harass someone else. "Looks like _he's_ not too into your 'transformation.'" She played with his hand, watching how he tensed when she touched his ring. "So what's with the ring? Where'd it come from?"

"The ring." Will shrugged. "It's just a ring." But it wasn't just a ring. Suddenly, Will was on edge, pulling his hand back away from her.

"Can I see it?" she asked hopefully.

"No." He looked away. "Look, love, I've really got to go to class."

"I have class with you next," Buffy pointed out, suddenly wary. Something was wrong. "Come on, let's go together."

She took his hand, and he seemed to relax. "Right. Alright. Let's go."

Buffy tried to talk to Will normally, but her suspicion about the ring was foremost in her mind. _This is ridiculous. Will's just a normal guy. I can date a normal guy. So he's a little sensitive about the ring, but he's entitled to some secrets, right? _

But curiosity made her hold on to his hand a little too tightly, and pull a little too hard when she let go. And the ring was in her hand.

Will stared at her in horror, his dark silhouette framed by the sun's light through the windows of the classroom.

"Bloody hell," he said faintly.

And then he burst into flames.


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow! I should really end more chapters with cliffhangers, seeing how much feedback I got so quickly… :D I'm really sorry I didn't have this out sooner. I had this chapter for a while now, but once I started classes again, I was worried I wouldn't have time to write and I didn't want to post just this one. So I'm posting two chappies now, the second of which is really long as my apology to all of you, and will, if my Thursday philosophy class continues to be so dull, be updating this story on weekends from now on! Thanks to Angellia, Lady Shadow Angel, melly, The Lady Meow, his querida, PurpleIvy, Doni, bahjcb, Flames to Dust, sensei, and DoctorFang for your great reviews! Hope you enjoy the next two chapters and I will be updating The Perils of Fanfiction within the next few days, too!**

"Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh god." Buffy couldn't move, couldn't run after Will as he fled into the shadows of the hallway. "No. This can't be happening…"

Willow, behind her, moved faster, grabbing the ring from her hand and heading for Will. Xander followed, his eyes wide. Most of the class left the room.

And Buffy still stood stock-still, her eyes unseeing.

Xander returned a minute later, followed by most of the class. "Buffy." She didn't move. "Buffy" He snapped his fingers in front of her nose.

She blinked. "Oh, god. Xander…"

"Willow left with Wi- with the vampire. She said something about getting him somewhere safe. Now, this might be a wild guess, but I'm thinking that Will's Spike." Xander helped her sit down. "Buffy…you okay?"

"No." Buffy rose, taking a deep breath. "No, I'm going to go home now."

"Let's go talk to Giles first," Xander suggested gently, escorting her out of the room. "I'm sorry, Buffy." And she could tell he meant it, despite his dislike of the other bo- the vampire.

--

"…William the Bloody." Giles set the book down in front of Buffy. "I'm sorry."

"Vampires. Why did it have to be vampires?" she demanded, pacing. "I could've had a thing for gay guys. For cheaters. For jerks. But no, I have to keep falling for vampires!" She smashed her hands down on the desk, watching as the wood cracked under her palms.

"Buffy…"

"I'm sorry, Giles!" Buffy stared at the desk. "I just…" She sighed. "How did he do it? What is that ring?"

"The gem of Amarra." Giles held out another text, this one with the image of Will's- _no, Spike's! _ring. "It makes vampires invincible. Stakes won't work, sunlight, crosses… But there's only one, so it's only Spike that's the problem."

"Angel…he said that he could smell Spike on me…" Buffy said slowly. "But Drusilla…she'd said…and Willow's been…" Things still weren't making sense. "So he's invincible, right? He can do pretty much anything he wants and not worry about the consequences."

"Yes," Giles confirmed.

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "So why does Willow have to bring him blood every night?"

--

"Damn!" Spike pounded his fist on the school's basement wall. "Damn!"

"I can try to talk to her," Willow said tentatively, standing back.

"No." Spike stepped back. "No, she's not going to…Damn!"

"Spike…"

"Leave. Now. Or I might do something we'll both regret," Spike warned her, and she turned to go reluctantly.

"Just…she already cares about you. And she's been known to accept vampires. So maybe…" She climbed up the stairs. "You're halfway there."

Once she had gone, Spike sank to the floor, pulling off the ring. _This can't be happening…_

--

Buffy patrolled with Angel that night.

He frowned when he saw her. "You-"

"Smell like Spike, I know," Buffy said tiredly. "I really don't want to talk about it now."

"I was going to say that you look upset, but…well, yeah. You do smell like him. Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

"Angel…" She sighed. "I can't do this anymore."

"Patrolling?" He stared blankly at her.

"Us." She put a hand on his arm. "I've…I've realized that what I feel for you is no more than a crush. Felt. What I felt for you… I just…I found out that I had deeper feelings for someone I never really knew than I've ever had for you. It's not fair for me to string you on like this."

"Buffy, we can make this work," Angel murmured. "I…I love you."

"I love you too," she said shakily. "But not like that." She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Can we still be friends?"

"Maybe. Not yet." Angel stared at her. "Buffy…what happened? Why'd it all change?" He froze. "Spike!"

"How'd you know?" Buffy asked, incredulous.

"No, Spike's here somewhere, and…_what?_" He froze. "What did _Spike_ do?"

"He…he was there, all along. In school with me. He had this ring…"

Angel started piecing together the details in his head. "Wait. You mean…that scent!" His eyes darkened and he grabbed her hand. "You've been…with him…" He reeled back from the shock. "Are you in love with him?"

"No!" Buffy tried to pull her hand away. "I don't know," she conceded. "But I had definite feelings for him, and they were strong…"

"That idiot." Angel squeezed her hand harder.

"Angel, let go!" Even enhanced Slayer strength couldn't get her free from his vice-like grip.

"You can't possibly be attracted to him!"

"Angel, you're hurting me!"

"Let go of her." There was no humor, no smirk in Spike's voice from where he stood behind Buffy.

"You!" Angel charged at Spike.

Spike dodged, but not quickly enough. Angel was on top of him, vamped out and clawing at him.

"Stop. Angel, stop!" Buffy ran to them, about to pull Angel off, when she saw Spike's face.

There was no Will anymore, no sign of the sensitive bad boy that she had been falling for. Only a vampire, his face twisted and bumpy, deep blue eyes suddenly yellow.

Buffy took an instinctive step back. "No," she whispered. "No!"

In front of her, Angel had found the stake he had brought for patrol. He pulled it back to jam it into Spike's chest.

The stake impaled, but Spike didn't turn to dust. _The Gem of Amarra. Right._

Spike laughed shakily, and Angel jerked out of whatever reaction he had had before. "I…" He stared unseeingly down at Spike, who was still lying flat on the ground.

"Get out of here," Buffy said coldly.

"Buffy, I'm so sorry." Angel said pleadingly. "I just need some time." He turned and headed off.

Buffy watched him go, then walked away, ignoring Spike's calls.

He finally rose and ran to her. "Buffy, we need to talk."

She turned away from him, unwilling to see Will behind Spike. "No. No talking."

"Look, love, this started as a way to… but everything's different now! I-"

"Save it," she snapped. "I'm quitting vampires. I've had enough. The only time I want to see them is an instant before they explode into dust."

"Buffy, I'm in love with you." The soft confession made her turn to stare at him. His eyes were earnest, pleading, Will the poet again. "I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did, and now I'm lost. I can't just let go now."

She shivered suddenly, and he mistook it for cold, taking off his leather duster and wrapping it around her.

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

"Act like we're dating or something. It's not…it's not going to happen." But she did pull his duster closer. She could tell by his sudden smirk that he had noticed. "Will…Spike. Don't come back to the school. Don't come near me at the Bronze. Just…stay away from me. You hurt me. A lot. And if I'm going to get you out of my system, then I need you far away from me."

She moved to take off the coat, but he stopped her. "Keep it. I'll be back for it."

"What part of _over_ did you not get?" she demanded, shoving him away. He fell backwards, and she tore off the duster and threw it at him. "I'm warning you once more. Stay away from me!"

And she walked away rapidly, not letting him see the conflict in her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Spike took her warning seriously, and didn't return to the school for a day or two. When he finally did come back, she prepared herself to yell at him, but he didn't even look at her. Not ready to start up anything, she chose to not speak to him.

"What's he up to?" Xander wondered suspiciously. "Why is he back?" He laughed. "How pathetic. He actually thinks he can win Buffy over if he comes back to school."

"Xander, shut up," Buffy said tiredly.

Willow twisted a lock of hair in her finger, avoiding their gazes. "He's still not feeding on humans," she told them.

"Will! You're not still hanging out with Spike, are you?" Xander asked disbelievingly.

She looked down. "He's in a really bad state." She shot a sidelong glance at Buffy.

Buffy shrugged, trying to sound like she didn't care. "That's one less vampire killing people." That was all it meant. That _had_ to be all it meant.

"Willow, he's a killer. A vampire. How do you know he won't change his mind about the whole not killing humans thing?" Xander demanded.

"I just do," Willow blushed. "He's a good person, I can tell. He's just…conflicted." She shrugged. "I talk to him, but with Dru there-"

"Wait." Buffy frowned, and mentally shoved down a pang of jealousy. _You don't care, remember?_ "I thought Drusilla was with Angel."

"She came back to Spike last night. They're not together or anything," Willow added hurriedly. "He's just taking care of her. She's his sire. You know that there's a bond-"

"I don't care!" Buffy snapped, a little too harshly. Willow and Xander exchanged a _look_, and Buffy decided that she'd had enough. "Look, Willow, if you're going to hang out with…with _him_, go ahead. I can't stop you. But really? Stop babbling about him to us. I'm the Slayer. I kill vampires. I don't gossip about him. Them. I couldn't care less about him, and I'm sick of every word out of your mouth being about him." She got up, not caring that Willow looked hurt. "It's boring."

And she left the room as quickly as she could.

--

"Hey, Will." Cordelia sat down on his desk and gave him a dazzling smile. "Couldn't help but notice that you've finally ditched Buffy. Gotta say, I was worried for a while."

Will smirked. "You. Me. The Bronze tonight?"

Cordy grinned. "I'll save you a dance."

Buffy tried not to watch too obviously, or look too annoyed. _He's just trying to make me jealous. There's no way he'd get mixed up with another human girl… _She blinked. What was she thinking? He was a _vampire_, not a normal guy! If he was asking Cordelia out, he was probably getting a little hungry. _Don't know who I'd want to come out alive of _that_ battle…_ Willow's insistences that Spike wasn't feeding on humans were wrong. _Never thought Willow was that naïve, though._

But Willow was right. Well, she hadn't been proven wrong, since Cordelia came in the next day, alive, healthy, and as bitchy as ever. "Buffy!" She graced with a big, false smile. "Just wanted to thank you for getting dumped by Will. He's a really great guy, and an amazing kisser… Shame for you that you couldn't hold on to him."

Buffy went deadpan. "Oh, is that what he told you? No, I dumped him. Syphilis? It's just not cool."

Cordy glared at her, uncertain if she was telling the truth. Buffy smiled back brightly. "Seeya!"

Spike sat with an apparently appeased Cordelia at lunch, and gave her a dark look when she accidentally caught his eye. She pouted at him innocently. This_ I can do. Fighting with vampires good. Falling for them bad_.

--

And after that, things started to turn up. Yes, Spike was in her school and life now, and he didn't seem to be planning on leaving anytime soon. Yes, he was basically immortal, thanks to the Ring. But that didn't mean she couldn't still snipe at him. And with every bout of verbal sparring, everything started to feel normal.

Parent-Teacher Night was coming up, and Principal Snyder, being the evil creature he was, had assigned Buffy and another troublemaker, Sheila, to take care of the whole shebang. Of course, there had to be a supernatural crisis at the same time, and that came in the form of the Night of Saint Vigeous, some vampire religious thing. Buffy decided she didn't care about it. She was more worried about the impending confrontation between two forces with the power to change her life- Snyder and her mother.

Cordelia and Spike didn't last for long, and "Will," who had pretty much ditched the false name by then, soon had a reputation as a player. Harmony Kendall, Cordy's best friend, pursued him with a passion, and they had developed a relationship that consisted of Spike pretty much treating Harmony like crap and them making out in broom closets.

Buffy heard them as she walked past one such closet, and yanked it open, just for fun.

Harmony was annoyed. "Look, you had your chance with Spike already, and you messed up. Now back off and let me play with my Blondie Bear!"

"_Blondie Bear_?" Buffy echoed, laughing so hard that tears sprung up in her eyes.

"And he's mine!"

"Go away, Harm," Spike drawled.

"Fifth period?" she asked him, tossing Buffy a gloating look.

"Yeah, whatever." As soon as she was gone, he glared up at Buffy. "Listen, Slayer, if you _ever_ tell anyone-"

"Tell anyone what, Blondie Bear?" Buffy smirked.

"I love you." That was the one thing that would sober her up, and he knew it.

"Shut up."

Spike's response was a slow leer.

"You know, that's going to lose its effectiveness if you keep saying it," Buffy pointed out.

"Doesn't make it any less true, love." The leer was gone and they were back in uncomfortable territory.

Buffy finally broke the silence. "So, _Blondie Bear_, you and Harmony? Really?"

"Think I could do better?"

"I think _she_ could do better."

"Hey, _that_ hurts."

"How about this?" She punched him in the face and walked away. Hitting Spike was somehow therapeutic. And he never hit her back. Well, not very hard, anyway.

"Night of Saint Vigeous is Saturday!" he called after her. "Be careful!"

"You know, I remember when I'd turn my back on a vampire and he'd attack me, not warn me," she murmured, knowing that his vampire ears would pick it up. "Vampires are so not the Big Bad of the week."

--

Parent-Teacher Night was going well, Buffy reflected as Willow struggled to keep her mother from Snyder. Sheila hadn't shown up, but that was no surprise, and Spike had shown up to help set up. She normally would have told him to get out, but they were really shorthanded and needed all the help they could get…especially from a super-strong and super-fast vampire. Plus, at least she hadn't been bored…

Of course, that had meant that Spike had decided to stick around. "Your birth parents are dead," she muttered, putting a bright smile on her face when her mother looked her way. "Why don't you go home to your crazy sire?"

"This is more fun." His smirk turned into a look of concern and he ran forward. "Hi!" he introduced himself to her mother, grinning broadly. "You must be Buffy's mother!"

"Y-yes," her mother stuttered, staring at him. "Are you a teacher here?"

"Absolutely! I teach…er…"

Buffy was about to punch him, never mind her mother, when she saw Snyder approaching and understood what Spike was doing. "Poetry! Yep, he's our poetry teacher!" She smirked at the scowl on Spike's face. Oh, he was going to rue the day he told her about his past…

"Poetry?" Joyce asked dubiously.

"He might not look it, but Spike's got the soul of a poet," Buffy added quickly. "Had, anyway," she murmured.

"Spike," Joyce repeated faintly. "This school is a bit…unconventional, isn't it?"

"I like to let the students call me by a nickname. Y'know, lets them feel comfortable. Gets the creative juices flowing." Spike steered Joyce toward the opposite corner of the room as he spoke.

"Of course," Joyce said uncertainly.

"Now Buffy…she's a great student. Doesn't apply herself much, and no talent for writing at all, but she shows up to class from time to time, and that's all that matters, right?"

"Spike!" Buffy hissed under her mother's disapproving look.

"Buffy, is that true? Have you been skipping class again?" She sighed. "Why do I even bother to ask?"

"Mrs. Summers!" _Just perfect. Snyder._ "I think we need to have a chat."

--

"I've never been so disappointed in you in my life!" Joyce nearly exploded at her daughter when they got home. "Where did I go wrong with you? First that Spike man, then-"

"Spike isn't even a teacher," Buffy muttered. "In his own warped way, I think he thought he was helping." And because of that, she hadn't beaten him up at full strength.

"Even better." Joyce paced back and forth through the kitchen. "My daughter is hanging out with a boy named Spike who looks old enough to be her teacher."

The doorbell rang, and Buffy ran to it, glad for the distraction. "This just keeps getting better."

"What?" Angel asked, confused.

"Never mind." Truthfully, she was relieved to see him. She did care about him, just not… "Why are you here?"

"Can I come in?"

"I've already given you an invite," she reminded him wearily.

"No." He looked nervous. "As a vampire, I can come in. But is it okay if I do? As a…friend?"

Buffy smiled, happy at one thing that had happened that night. "So we're friends?"

Angel nodded uncomfortably. "I hope so. I'm sorry I-"

"Don't bother," she cut in, still smiling.

"Buffy?" Joyce appeared behind her. "Ah, yes. You're that tutor," she recalled. "It's a little late for tutoring, isn't it?" she asked suspiciously.

"Angel's been out of town for the past week or two," Buffy said quickly. "He just came to tell me that he's back."

"I think a phone call would be better next time," Joyce informed him.

"Mom!" But Buffy looked at her mother's tired face and regretted it. "I'm sorry. I'm just going to say goodbye."

"I'll be in the kitchen," Joyce conceded, looking more worn than Buffy had seen her in a while. She felt a pang of guilt.

"So what's going on?" Buffy asked him.

He shrugged. "Nothing really. Drusilla ran away, I thought you should know."

"Already do."

He looked at her with concern. "Are you and…?"

You should know better than to ask me about that," she reminded him.

He nodded. "Right. Sorry." He looked down.

She sighed. He looked so depressed… "Willow told me. She's… well, she _was_ bringing Spike blood. I don't know if she is anymore. She hasn't mentioned it since."

"Buffy…"

"What is it?"

Angel gestured around helplessly. "I came to warn you about this Saturday. Giles probably told you about Saint Vigeous already, but you should know that I've been hearing things. Vampires banding together, the Anointed One is gaining followers. It's not good."

"Got it. Thanks."

"You'll need help warding them off."

She frowned. She wasn't ready for that yet. "I'll be fine."

He turned away from her. "I…I can't do this. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Angel…"

He turned back and smiled sadly. "That's the other reason I came here. To see if I could be friends with you. But I can't. I still love you, and I can't control that." He took her hands and gazed into her eyes. "I can't hurt you again."

"What do you mean?" She didn't want to hear this, didn't want to know.

He leaned down to kiss her softly on the forehead. "I'm leaving tonight. This won't work." He held her close to him for a minute. "I will always love you."

He let her go reluctantly, and backed away, looking more forlorn than she had ever seen him. Then he was gone.

She cried on the steps with the loss of her first love. But then, she had lost him two weeks ago…given him up then. Maybe it had been a mistake…

"Slayer?" Spike emerged from the shadows, expressionless. His eyes grew dark with concern when he saw her tear-stained face. "What did he do to you?"

"Go away, Spike," she told him half-heartedly.

But he sat down beside her and patted her awkwardly on the back, and the pain eased just a little with his touch.


	8. Chapter 8

**Some people have asked how Spike could have gotten together with someone else so quickly. Really, this is based on the show, in which Harmony is essentially Spike's revenge on the way he's been treated by women and in which Spike brings a date to Xanya's wedding to make Buffy jealous. So, yes, he's capable of that. Doesn't mean he doesn't wuv Buffy! XD**

"So..." Buffy glanced around at the empty cemetery. "Where are all the vamps? I want some major stakeage, and I want it now." It was finally Saturday, and she was pumped for a fight.

Giles polished his glasses. "I'm not sure. Something's certain to happen tonight, and the Anointed One's army should have emerged by now."

"I've only staked one vampire in the past two hours. If they're attacking, they're not doing a very good job of it." Buffy sighed. "I'm bored." She remembered wistfully nights spent patrolling with Angel. At least then, she hadn't been bored... It wasn't Giles's fault, though. She had contemplating bringing Willow, or Xander, or even homework on patrol, like she ordinarily did, but with the whole Saint Vigeous thing going on, it should have been too dangerous for Willow and Xander. And really, what was the point of bringing homework if she didn't do it, anyway? "Ooh! I have a great idea!" She jumped up. "Let's get a crypt out here, set it up with a fridge and a TV, and from now on, I get entertainment during patrolling!"

"No," Giles said flatly.

She pouted. "You're just scared of TV." She wandered over to the nearest crypt and kicked down the door. "This one looks..."

"Slayer is here," Drusilla noted, staring at her from the darkened doorway. "Wants to play. But there will be no games tonight for her."

"You." Buffy raised her stake warily. She knew it was an empty threat. Dru meant too much to Spike for Buffy to stake her. "Where's Spike?"

"My Spike is gone, off to the party. No sunshine there." She vamped out to attack Buffy, but the Slayer flipped her over and straddled her, holding the stake against her heart.

"Where are they? Where are the vamps?"

Dru smiled up at her. "Sunshine won't touch me." She raised one hand to cup Buffy's cheek in an oddly affectionate gesture. "Sunshine cares, too." Buffy's nose wrinkled in confusion. Dru's vamp face receded. "Party with my Spike at the Slayer's house," she whispered. "Party for Miss Edith later."

Buffy ran, unable to breathe. Giles followed close behind. "My car!"

"Meet you there!" she called back, already halfway down the street, panic overcoming her.

Revello Drive was flooded with vampires, looting the area. Buffy noticed in horror that one house was on fire. _That's one way for them to lure out victims_. And her house...a window in front was totally shattered. _No!_

"Slayer!" one vampire roared, seeing her.

The Anointed One, atop his shoulders, smiled. "Enjoy the welcoming committee?"

"Where's my mother?" Buffy demanded, her insides tied in a painful knot.

The vampire bearing the Anointed One laughed. "One of our kind took her just a few minutes ago."

Buffy couldn't feel. She blindly charged into the mob of vampires, forgetting everything but the slaying.

--

Joyce Summers watched from the window as more of the...creatures...appeared, shouting raucously and destroying everything in their wake. She didn't know what they were, didn't want to know what they were, but she had the uneasy idea that they were connected to Buffy.

_Buffy..._ The sigh that came automatically whenever she thought about her daughter made a brief appearance. She wanted to understand Buffy, to share in her life. She couldn't shake the feeling that her daughter was keeping secrets from her, and though she knew that that was typical of teenagers, with Buffy, it always felt like..._more_. _I'm just a normal, paranoid mother._ But now these creatures roaming the streets...In her year in Sunnydale, Joyce had gotten very good at the active ignoring of the truth that the rest of the town employed. But this was pushing the limits of rational thinking.

She peered out the window again, frowning when she saw the blonde man from Thursday night- _Spike­- _swagger over to one of the bulkier creatures. "You're not going to get into the Slayer's house without an invite. Me, I can get in."

The creature sneered at him. "You have an invite?"

"I can get one." Spike smirked. "Slayer trusts me. "

"You're Spike. Slayer of Slayers." Joyce strained her ears to hear. "We've heard you've been around, but you haven't made contact with any of us. And now you're pals with the Slayer?"

Spike turned to the door. "You know who I am?" He didn't even turn to see the creature's nod. "Then don't question me. Slayer's mine."

He knocked on the door.

Joyce moved to it. "I know you're out there," she called nervously. "I don't know what you want, but I won't let you in."

"Joyce!" Spike sounded relieved. "Listen, are you alone in there?"

Joyce refused to answer.

"You can open the door," Spike told her. "We can't physically enter a house unless we're invited."

"How do I know you're not just making that up?" Joyce darted a glance at the window. Even more creatures were there, setting fire to the Smiths' house across the street. Mrs. Smith fled her house, only to be grabbed by one of the creatures. It bent down, and... Joyce shuddered.

"Because if we could, we would." Spike moved to the window, where he knew that she could see her. He turned to her car, beside him, and punched. Once, but it was enough to shatter the windows of the vehicle and leave an impressive dent.

"You totaled my car!" Joyce snapped, irrationally upset about that more than anything else that was going on. Spike looked up at her through the window, shrugging. "It was bound to happen, anyway. Nothing's going to last through tonight." He gave her an intent, earnest look. "Including you, unless if you trust me."

And she did. He was apparently working with a mob of monsters, he looked like a punk relic from her childhood, and his name was _Spike_, but God help her, she actually trusted him. There was something about those honest eyes..._much nicer than that Angel_. _Buffy would be safe with Spike._

"You...you can come in," Joyce said finally.

Spike nodded. "Good." He punched the window, cracking it to bits, grabbed Joyce before she could run, and turned to the crowd.

"The Slayer's mother." A little boy that sat astride another monster stared at her with keen interest. "Give her to me."

Joyce was frozen in fear.

Spike laughed. "None of you bloody wankers is laying a hand on her!" And he lifted her as though she weighed nothing and ran.

"Where are we going?" Joyce shouted against the raging wind.

"Somewhere where they can't find you!" Spike yelled. "Where you'll be safe!" He stopped in front of a house that Joyce recognized. "Willow!"

She emerged, her eyes wide. "What's-"

"My kind all over Revello. I've got to find Buffy," he said abruptly. "Take care of Joyce." And he was gone.

Joyce stared at Willow, shaking. "So...what's a Slayer?"

--

Spike headed for the cemetery, intending to find Buffy there, when he saw Giles's car, covered with clawing vampires. "Bloody hell." He yanked one off, using him as a bludgeon to knock the others off.

"Get in! We don't have much time!" Giles told him. "Buffy's house-"

"I know. I've been there." Spike slid into the passenger seat and Giles took off again.

"I don't trust you," he began. "You're a vampire, and not an ensouled one like Angel. You've manipulated my Slayer's feelings and you're frankly not pleasant. I don't like you."

"Gee, thanks, Rupes," Spike muttered.

"I'm not done," Giles said reprovingly. "But I do believe that you have some form of warped feelings toward Buffy, and you're actually helping us right now. So we can work together right now." He paused, and for a moment, Spike saw something frightening in Giles's eyes. "But if you hurt her...I _will_ take that ring from you. And I _will_ kill you."

"Got it." Spike laughed, then his face turned serious. "I'm glad Buffy has someone like you to protect her."

"Yes, well..." Giles actually sounded flattered. Then his eyes widened. He stopped the car. "My God."

Spike's smirk vanished as he stared at the wreckage that was Revello. There was...No, the vampire crowd had been severely thinned, and was getting smaller by the moment. Buffy was tearing through them like a machine, with none of her usual taunting and flair. Something was wrong.

"We should...go help her," Spike murmured, entranced by the sight. Buffy had taken down all but a dozen or so, and the rest were running.

"Don't think she needs it," Giles said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I've never seen her fight like this." His eyes widened. "Something must be wrong."

Spike pulled open the door and ran to Buffy. "Buffy! What are-" His breath caught in his throat when he saw her face. It was blank and emotionless. "What's wrong, pet?"

The Anointed One rose and ran, the last two vampires right behind him.

"Buffy..." Spike grabbed her arms. She pulled them away and threw him against the house.

He gaped up at her at she stalked toward him, stake in hand. "You know that won't hurt me, right?" he said, a little nervously.

She staked him anyway, and he pulled it out, still gazing at her.

Then her brow wrinkled in confusion. "Spike?"

He rose to take her in his arms and stroked her hair as she wept in his embrace.

Finally, he pulled her away from him so he could speak to her. "What brought on the whole Super Slayer thing, love?"

"My...my mom," Buffy whispered, her face pained. "The vamps got her." To her surprise, Spike laughed. "Spike!" _He really is a heartless bas-_

"_A _vamp got her, pet. One. Me." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I sent her to Willow's. Didn't think the buggers would find her there."

She stepped away from him, her face a strange mix of shock and relief. "She's...she's okay?"

Spike nodded.

"I need to go to her," Buffy whispered, heading for Giles's car. Spike followed her. He had nothing better to do anyway.

"The Anointed One must be furious," Spike noted with glee. "Didn't get the Slayer, didn't even get any of her loved ones..." Buffy didn't respond, still too overwhelmed. "Thanks to me," Spike continued. It was suddenly very important to him that Buffy knew exactly what he had done. "I doubt I'll be welcomed back into the nighttime community anytime soon. The Anointed One's going to want revenge, and..." He froze. "I'm an idiot." Giles turned to stare at the look of horror on the vampire's face. "Rupert, take me to Restfield."

"I thought we were going to Willow's. Buffy?" Giles turned to where she sat silently.

"NOW!" Spike roared, startling them all.

"Right." Giles drove faster, fueled by Spike's urgency.

When they reached the cemetery, Spike nearly tore off the door in his haste to get to his crypt.

He was too late.

The Anointed One stood calmly behind one of his minions. "You're a shame to your race, Spike." He gestured at the dusty ground before him. "Your lover has paid the price for your sins."

Spike tore off the child-vampire's head before falling to the ground. _What have I done? Dru. Dru. _"DRUUUU!!!" He wept openly, his face twisting into a grotesque mask of misery.

Buffy bent over him, running a hand up and down his back as ragged sobs tore out of him.

He didn't rise for hours, and neither did she, knowing that he would have done the same for her.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Yes, the story Spike tells about the Slayer in England actually happened in one of the books, I can't remember which one. Just didn't want there to be confusion about yet ANOTHER Slayer in Spike's life. (Especially since I have plans for two more to come… XD)**

Buffy awoke in an unfamiliar bed with a cold, cold hand draped over her. Instinctively, she screamed.

"Dru?" Spike rolled over to face her. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Bloody hell, Buffy!"

"What happened last night?" she whispered, sitting up and moving away frantically. To her relief, she was still fully dressed. "The last thing I remember was…" Her voice trailed off.

Spike nodded, sitting up, too. "You fell asleep after a while. I carried you to my bed, but I must've fallen asleep there also."

She paled. "So we didn't…"

"What do you think I am?" he demanded indignantly, seeing her face.

"An evil vampire?" she suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Right. Well, I am!" he informed her. "I'm the Big Bad! But I would never hurt you."

Buffy blushed. "I've…I've got to get home. My mom's probably freaking out."

"Stay," he murmured. "Doubt your house was slept in last night. Broken window, remember? And you're still pretty cut up from your fight."

She was, she noted in surprise. The bruises had been forgotten as soon as she had gotten them, but now that things were calm, they were starting to ache. Even so… "I can't." She reached a hand out and laid it on his cheek. "But thank you. For everything. I'll come back later to check on you."

"I…" His voice trailed off.

She gave him one last smile. "I know."

--

Her mother had stayed at Giles's house last night, Buffy discovered. And a lot had happened.

"You really kill vampires." Her mother sat at Giles's kitchen table, a cup of tea in her hands. "And you've been doing this for a while."

"Yup." Buffy was somewhat relieved that it had been Giles and Willow who'd explained everything. From what Willow had said when she'd brought Buffy over to Giles's, it had seemed like Joyce hadn't taken it very well. But Giles had convinced her to sleep on it, and now, came morning, Joyce was beginning to accept what she had been told.

"That's why you burned down the school gym." Joyce shook her head. "Vampires." Her eyes widened. "When we sent you to the mental-"

"Yeah," Buffy cut in quickly. _That_ wasn't something she wanted to bring up now. Or ever, really.

Joyce sighed, the enormity of the situation dawning on her. "Buffy, have you ever tried not being the Slayer?"

"It's not something I can just turn off, Mom. People need me."

"She's saved more lives than I can count, including stopping an apocalypse or two," Giles added.

Joyce shook her head. "Every mother dreams of her child being a hero. Changing the world. But this…" She straightened. "You know what? I'm proud of you." Her face darkened. "But I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm going to get hurt. I'm going to fight, I'm going to try to win, but…" Seeing her mother's suddenly pale face. Buffy thought better of what she was about to say. Let her get used to the idea of vampires before she found out just how soon a Slayer's expiration date would probably be. "I won't get hurt," she said firmly.

Her mother smiled wanly. "Of course you won't." She considered for a moment. "So Spike is a vampire?"

"Um, yeah. But he's a little different. He has this ring-"

"He saved my life." Joyce smiled. "Let's have him for dinner."

They all stared at her.

"Joyce, Spike's idea of dinner is-"

"Well, we can get him some blood. Or maybe he'll also eat human food?" Joyce pondered. "I want him to feel at home with us. He's just lost his, uh…"

"Sire," Willow put in.

"Sire, and because he helped us out. Those vampires would've burnt down our house just like the Smiths'. You'd be homeless and motherless then, Buffy. We owe him dinner at the very least."

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Mom, just how much did Giles tell you about Spike?"

"Whenever I tried to explain just how dangerous he is, Willow would tell her that he'd changed, and-"

"He _has_ changed," Willow protested. "Mrs. Summers wouldn't be alive if he hadn't changed."

"Neither would I," Buffy confessed, suddenly embarrassed. "I was careless. I fell asleep in a vampire's crypt last night. It should have cost me my life. But the 'Slayer of Slayers' just tucked me in and went to sleep himself."

They all looked startled at that.

Joyce was first. "You spent the night with a _boy_?"

"With a _vampire_?" Giles demanded.

"With a _boy_?"

"Is it too late for me to say I slept over at Willow's?" Buffy asked sheepishly. She rolled her eyes at the adults glaring at her. "Look, nothing happened, okay? I just fell asleep and Spike took care of me. That was all."

"She didn't even kiss him," Willow piped up. Buffy gave her a _look_. "Shutting up now."

"Invite him for dinner, dear," Joyce said, and this time it was an order.

"Fall asleep in a crypt with a guy once, and the next thing you know, it's meet the parents," Buffy muttered, secretly just a little glad that she'd have a good excuse to go see him again.

--

Spike showed up at her house in a suit and tie, to her surprise and vague amusement. "What's this?"

He shrugged uncomfortably. "Wanted to make a good impression."

"You made a good impression when you saved my mother from a horde of evil vampires, Spike!" she protested. "Now go back to your crypt and change into something…Spike-ish."

He smirked. "Like my look, do you, love?" He preened.

She batted at him playfully. "Shut up. It's just weird to see you in anything formal."

"Feels like a mask," he agreed. "But I need something for the big dance thing that's coming up, anyway."

She raised her eyebrows. "You know that you have to dress up as someone from another country, right?"

"I'm British." Spike yawned. "Nice and simple. Got this whole sexy accent thing going for me."

She refused to take the bait. "Harmony will be so pleased with her Blondie Bear."

"Bloody-!" He scowled. "Annoying bint."

"She is a pain, isn't she?" Buffy gestured for him to come in.

"Wasn't talking about her," he muttered. Buffy elbowed him. Hard.

"Hey!" But he fell silent when Joyce came in.

"Spike!" Her face lit up. "You look wonderful."

Spike had a gracious smile ready for Joyce and a smirk ready for Buffy. Well. At least he wasn't leering at her in front of her mother. "Thanks, Joyce. It isn't every day that the Slayer's mum invites me for dinner. Wanted to look my best."

"Buffy said that it would be okay if we didn't have…blood." Joyce fidgeted a bit, as though she was suddenly realizing that she was in the same room as a vampire.

Spike grinned. "I can appreciate a good, home-baked meal just as much as some warm, rushing…" His voice trailed off when he saw Joyce's paling face. Buffy kicked him in the shin anyway. "Ow!"

"Come on, Spikey. Let's just do this thing." She tugged on him until he fell onto a chair in the kitchen.

"Buffy, Spike's our guest," Joyce reprimanded. She turned to Spike. "Is she always so…violent around you? Is this because she doesn't have a strong father figure?"

He patted Buffy's arm. It twitched, ready to punch him. "Buffy's supposed to be slaying me. She can't because I'm immortal, but she can beat me up. It's therapeutic for her. Gets out all that tension."

Buffy pouted. "Can I hurt him now, Mom?"

Joyce frowned in disapproval. "So if you didn't have this ring," she gestured at the Gem of Amarra, "Buffy would kill you?"

"Would have done it long ago." Spike smirked. "Well, she'd have tried...."

"No, I wouldn't," Buffy said softly, feeling guilty. "And if I had, it would've been a mistake."

He smiled up at her, and she met his gaze, losing herself in those piercing blue orbs.

Joyce watched them with a little half smile. _She could do worse, even if he _is _a vampire…_ She went to get the food, giving her daughter a little more time with the vampire.

Dinner was more relaxed than any of them had suspected. Joyce was fascinated by Spike's exploits over the years, and Spike was more than pleased to tell her about them.

"-So there we were in England with this tiny little bit of a Slayer, chasing down Jack the Ripper. The Slayer was shaking so hard…I was sure that she was going to run away to her idiotic Watcher and cower in fear! But she surprised us all, I think." He shook his head. "That Watcher was such a ponce…I was tempted not to kill her just because I didn't want to see his soddin' smug face."

"And did you?" Joyce pressed in sudden concern. "Kill the Slayer?"

"That one?" Spike shook his head. "The Ripper got her. She wouldn't have been enough of a challenge, anyway. Not that I couldn't!" he warned her. "I've gotten two other, you know. They call me the Slayer of-"

"Yes, continue telling the Slayer's mother about your other conquests," Buffy said sweetly, kicking him under the table.

"Right." He ducked his head, having the grace to appear ashamed. "Don't worry, Joyce, I wouldn't harm a hair on Buffy's head."

"Right," Joyce said uncertainly. "So…" She said in a vain attempt to change the subject. "Why'd you come to Sunnydale?"

"Two reasons, neither of which is applicable anymore," Spike murmured. At Joyce's questioning look, he sighed. "Your daughter and Dru." Two touchy topics.

"Oh." Joyce put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your sire."

"It's just…" Spike sighed a frustrated sigh. "I was so distant, near the end…and now…"

Buffy heard the unspoken words. _And now I'm sitting and having dinner with the person who pulled us apart. _She took his hand in her own, suddenly guilty again. _How can one evil vampire be so…so good?_

When she walked him out, the dinner a success, she asked him the same question that had been running through her mind the whole time. "Why are you doing this?"

He reached out to run a hand through her hair, and she didn't recoil. "Why do you think?" He moved in for the kiss, and she tilted her head upwards, her eyes drifting shut.

But he kissed her on the cheek instead, and gave her a sad smile. "Not now, not when you feel like you owe me something." He stroked her hair. "Another time, love." And then he was gone.

She touched her cheek and sank down to the porch steps. _And just like that, ten days of convincing myself that I don't have feelings for him anymore gone._


	10. Chapter 10

"Mind if I cut in? I don't care, I'm doing it anyway," a British voice that still sent shivers up her spine interrupted her semi-awkward dance with Scott Hope. They were at the dance for Sunnydale High's cultural exchange program, although not together. _Still_ not together. For a guy who said "I love you" less than a week into their relationship, he was suddenly taking things slow. Which pissed her off. Tremendously. _At least he stopped doing stuff with Harmony…_ But he hadn't asked her to this dance, so she'd gone with Scott. The poor boy hadn't known what he had walked into when he'd asked Buffy. Now, Spike seemed to be trying to scare him off by glowering at him across the table, interrupting every conversation he'd tried to have with his date, and now cutting in on his dance with Buffy.

"O-okay," Scott stammered, moving away from her. Very quickly.

Buffy scowled at Spike. "You scared him off!" she accused.

"Good." Spike licked his lips. "But I'm not here just for that."

"Oh?" Buffy moved a little closer to him, her lips curving upwards just a bit.

"Sven." He nodded toward Cordelia's foreign exchange student. Buffy hid a smirk. God, she was so relieved that she had been able to convince her mother that the Slayer didn't need a guest in her house for some program… But Cordelia had definitely gotten what she deserved. With a name like Sven, everyone had expected her guest to be tall, blonde, and drop-dead gorgeous. And Cordy had gotten that- in a female form whom her boyfriend Devon seemed more interested in than her.

"What about her?" Buffy pouted mock-seriously. "Do you want to dance with her instead of me?"

He smiled down at her, running his fingers through her hair. He loved her hair. And she loved when he… _Stop. Now._ "If I wanted to, then I wouldn't be here, would I?" But then he sobered up. "She's not human. Or not alive. I don't really know. But I caught her scent, and it's all wrong."

"Great." Buffy let him lead, moving them closer to Sven and Devon.

"Can we go somewhere else?" Sven asked Devon.

He grinned widely. "Baby, we can go _anywhere_." He let her pull him towards the exit. Buffy and Spike followed.

Sven and Devon were getting pretty close, leaning in for a kiss, and…

Suddenly, Sven's hand, cradling the back of Devon's head, wasn't soft and light, but desiccated and corpselike. Buffy shoved her away from Devon.

Devon jumped back. "Hey!"

Sven charged at Spike, trying to kiss him. He let her, smirking. "Sorry, love, this won't end well."

She sucked the undead unlife out of him, and collapsed in a mess of bones and dust.

"Run," Spike advised Devon, and he did as instructed.

Buffy put her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't have done that. You had no idea what-"

He held up what she'd dubbed the "Hand of Amarra." "Immortal, remember?"

"Still, you don't know…"

He smirked. "What's really bothering you here? That I took on the corpse? Or that I let her kiss me?"

"Argh! You are so impossible!" she complained, turning around in a huff. "That's it! I'm going to dance with Xander."

"The whelp," he repeated, laughing. "That's your big revenge, pet? Think I'd be jealous?"

"I could make you jealous with him," she countered, remembering Angel's reaction to her dance with Xander during her bitchy stage after the summer.

"You wouldn't use him like that," Spike said, laughing. "He may be an insufferable idiot who still can't handle the fact that I'm a vampire _and_ that you like me, but you're his friend and you wouldn't do that to him."

Buffy looked away from the laughter in his eyes, suddenly ashamed at even considering doing it. To both of them. "Maybe not."

He took her hand, swinging her into his arms. "Come on. Let's go dance."

He didn't let her leave his touch for the rest of the night, even as he drove her home in his Desoto. But he still didn't kiss her.

--

"Stop waiting for him to make the first move!" Willow told her, fingering a ghost costume as they perused Ethan's for Halloween apparel. "Spike's new to this whole 'take your date home and _don't_ eat her' society. He doesn't know how to do this without messing it up."

Buffy sighed. "It wasn't so hard for him before. Just because he wasn't going for a bloody ending back then doesn't mean that he can't do the same thing." She stopped, eyeing a dress on the shelf. "Doesn't this look familiar?" She held it in front of her. "Not really drool-worthy, huh?"

"Buffy…" Willow gestured toward the shelf, where the rest of the costume sat. A dark wig, a set of fangs… _Vampire._

"Cool." Buffy gathered it up. "I like the irony. And since Spike doesn't know how to date humans, maybe this'll help him out." She talked Willow into buying something appropriately skimpy and left, satisfied.

Snyder had bullied her into taking some kids trick-or-treating but hadn't dared to try that on Spike, so he had agreed to hook up with her later, muttering something about bite-sized snacks ruining their fun. She had quirked an eyebrow at his terminology, and reminded herself that he wasn't feeding anymore.

So when everything changed, Spike wasn't there to see her wig become her hair, her fangs become her teeth, and her entire face transform ever so slightly.

--

Spike was heading back from the Bronze when all hell broke loose. Demons were suddenly everywhere where humans had been seconds before, and havoc was ensuing. _Huh. Better get Buffy._

But as he approached the area where Buffy was supposed to be, all thoughts of the Slayer left his mind.

"_Dru_?"

She stood in the center of the street, her long white dress wafting in the breeze. "Hello, my Spike."

"You're dead," he whispered. "I saw you dust…how…?"

She moved to him, an ethereal smile crossing her face. "Come, my Spike. Mummy's hungry."

He walked with her as if in a dream, escorting her to the Bronze. "I've already eaten tonight."

"Need to eat more," she said reprovingly, poking at his chest. "You're wasting away, and Miss Edith shan't let you play." She considered. "First, we must dance."

He led her in the dance, wonderingly stroking her hair. "How did you survive? I saw you dust, love."

"Mummy's got lots of tricks." She swayed lazily with him, her hand disappearing into his pants. "Want to see?"

"Yes," he breathed. _No… Buffy…_

"Sunshine's gone now," Dru breathed. "Just me."

"Gone?" Spike wrenched her hand out of his pants. "What do you mean? Did you see something?"

"I didn't see the Slayer." She stretched languorously. "Mummy's still hungry."

"But Buffy…"

"Just a snack…" She pointed to a kid, not older than twelve, looking bored as her older sister chatted up some guys. The little girl got up.

"Where are you going?" her sister demanded.

"Bathroom." She flounced toward them, annoyed.

"That one." Dru stopped the girl and took her by the hand.

She stared up at them in fear, but before she could scream, Spike had his hand clasped tightly over her mouth and was dragging her out of the Bronze.

"Mmm…" Dru licked her lips. "Let's share."

It had been a long night, and Spike had all but forgotten the strangeness that had been the human demons from earlier. He had no way of knowing about Ethan Rayne, or about a ghost that was watching, horrified, as he bent over the girl and sank his fangs into her throat. And, most importantly, he had no idea that an instant later, Drusilla was no longer Drusilla.

A fist hit his head and he was thrown from the girl. "Run," Buffy told her, her voice steely.

"B-Buffy?" She was standing above him, her eyes blazing with fury from beneath a brown wig. And she was wearing Dru's dress. "H-how-?"

"I can't-" She punched him.

"Believe-" Kick.

"I actually-" Punch.

"Trusted-" Punch.

"You!" The last kick slammed him against the wall. He sank to the ground, and she straddled him, stake in hand. When she paused to pull the ring off his finger, for the first time, he was truly afraid for his life.

"Why, Spike?" she demanded, her face red with anger. "Why'd you do it? Why couldn't you just-" Then she was sobbing. "I should've known. Evil soulless vampires don't just change overnight!" Behind her, Willow watched, looking nearly as hurt by Spike's betrayal as Buffy did. "You were my friend! My…" She punched him again, smack on the nose.

"Buffy…" He reached to brush the tears off her face.

She caught his hand before it could touch her. "Don't you _dare_ try to excuse what you were doing!"

"I thought you were Dru!" he whispered. "I was confus-"

"So you thought you'd just kill someone for kicks?" she demanded, her tears washing the blood from his mouth as they fell. "Now I need to kill you, and I don't…I can't..."

He flipped her over so that he was on top, and drew her to him in an attempt to comfort her. It was stupid, probably. She was the Slayer and had just been reminded that he was a vampire. She had had a stake at his chest a moment before. But she was also his love, and although she might never forgive him for what had happened, he couldn't just let her cry alone. So he held her, and she let him hold her until the tears were gone.

When she finally rose, her voice was cold. "If you touch another human being, I will kill you."

And she left, the ring of Amarra still clenched in her hand.


End file.
